What Should Translation Companies Pay Attention to When Providing Written Translation Services?

Written translation—also known as document or text translation—is one of the most fundamental services provided by translation companies. But doing it well requires much more than language proficiency. Especially in fields like law, science, business, and academia, quality translation demands accuracy, consistency, fluency, and attention to detail.

From the perspective of a professional language service provider, here are the key aspects that a translation company must pay close attention to when delivering written translations.

1. Understanding Comes First—Don’t Just Start Translating

A professional translation doesn’t begin by translating sentence by sentence. Instead, the translator must first understand the content and context of the document. This includes:

• Reading through the full text

• Understanding the purpose, tone, and target audience

• Identifying terminology, references, and logical structure

• Determining the type of document (e.g., contract, manual, essay, report)

Translation is not just about words—it’s about rebuilding meaning in a new language.

2. Consistent and Accurate Terminology

This is one of the most critical areas, particularly for:

• Medical, legal, financial, or technical documents

• Corporate materials such as manuals, contracts, policies

• Academic writing or research papers

Professional translation companies will typically:

• Build a custom terminology glossary

• Confirm preferred term usage with the client

• Use CAT tools (like Trados or MemoQ) to ensure consistency

If a key term is translated differently each time it appears, it’s a red flag.

3. Natural and Fluent Language—Not Literal Translation

High-quality translation must sound natural, logical, and culturally appropriate in the target language.

• For Chinese to English: break long sentences, adjust word order, avoid "Chinglish"

• For English to Chinese: ensure subject-verb clarity, smooth logical flow, appropriate tone

Example:

Original: “We will not be liable for any losses caused by misuse of the device.”
Poor translation: “我们不会对设备使用不当导致的任何损失负责。”
Better version: “因设备使用不当造成的任何损失，我方概不负责。”

Fluency and clarity must always take precedence over literalism.

4. Formatting and Visual Consistency Matter

In professional translation, formatting and structure must align with the source:

• Punctuation standards (e.g., English uses commas, not Chinese “、”)

• Number formats, dates, and units (e.g., mm/dd/yyyy vs dd/mm/yyyy)

• Headings, bullets, tables, and footnotes must be properly reproduced

• Legal or financial documents require strict line-by-line correspondence

Even a perfectly translated text loses credibility if the formatting is sloppy.

5. Structured Workflow: Pre-Translation to Post-Delivery

A serious translation company will implement a clear, multi-step workflow:

1. Pre-translation briefing

• Confirm document purpose, language pair, delivery format, deadline

2. Professional translation by domain-matched linguist

3. Bilingual review or editing

• Checks for accuracy, tone, and language refinement

4. Final QA check + formatting

5. Delivery and feedback loop

Structured workflows ensure consistent quality and timely delivery.

6. Different Text Types Have Different Priorities

Professional translation companies will assign different translators or teams based on document type and subject matter.

7. In Summary: Written Translation Is About Professionalism + Precision

A good written translation should be: Accurate in meaning, smooth in language, consistent in terminology, and natural in tone—so much so that it reads like it was originally written in the target language.

The most reliable translation companies are not those offering the cheapest or fastest service, but those with:

• Clear workflow

• Consistent terminology management

• Professional language expertise

• Careful attention to formatting and tone

• Stable delivery and post-project support

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